If you’re a Registered Nurse (RN) and looking to take the next step in your career, then studying for a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) could be the perfect way to go. There are so many benefits to going from RN to MSN, and it might be a lot more achievable than you think.
Online programs have made further education much more accessible and now you have a great deal of choice about how and where you study for your MSN. With affordable degrees that offer a high-level education, you can improve your skills, and open up new doors in your career.
The healthcare system is championing further education in nursing, and this means there are great opportunities for nurses throughout the country. The opportunities are there for you to take your RN to MSN, but what are some of the key benefits of doing so?
Challenge yourself
It’s always good to challenge yourself in life, and taking your nursing studies to the next level is a great way to do this. If you’re transitioning from RN to MSN, then you will find plenty of challenges along the way, but the result will be great personal growth and improved career opportunities.
Nursing is a career with almost limitless opportunities for advancement, which gives you the opportunity to see how far you can go. You’ve taken one of the first steps by becoming an RN, now you have the chance to study for your MSN and from there, you can take your studies in many different directions.
An MSN is the next step on the ladder and it’s a great thing to challenge yourself with.
Career opportunities
Converting from RN to MSN is going to open up lots of doors for you in your career. There’s a real focus on further education in nursing at the moment, and this means there are lots of opportunities for those students with MSNs.
By taking the option to further your education, you’re showing a level of commitment to your career, and an intent that you want to be in a position of responsibility. This combined with the crucial skills you will learn during your course can make you extremely attractive to employers and help you get higher-level positions.
It’s easy for careers to stall and you can get stuck at the same level for a while, wondering how you can take your next steps. Well, an MSN is one option for kickstarting your career and getting yourself moving up the career ladder.
Salary increase
Nursing is a career that’s endlessly rewarding. You get to have a positive impact on people’s lives, and this is a great reward in itself. However, you work exceptionally hard, and you also need to see monetary rewards for what you do.
The more responsibility you take on, the more money you are likely to earn and an MSN can help you achieve this. According to studies, the average salary for an RN is $73,550 a year, however, that goes up to $108,980 for an MSN. This is a significant increase, and can be a major factor in people’s decision to go from RN to MSN.
You might be investing money in the short term to pay for your education, but based on the average salaries, you’re likely to earn that money back very quickly once you graduate.
Take on more responsibility
For some people, the driving factor behind going from RN to MSN is to take on more responsibility.
This is a natural progression in one’s career and it’s something an MSN can prepare you well for. As you become more comfortable in your position, you want to take on new responsibilities and do new things, but sometimes, you’ve got to study a bit more before this is possible.
Part of the push for nurses to further their education is about allowing them to be more autonomous and take on more responsibility. There are lots of opportunities out there in the nursing field, and further education can help unlock them.
Explore a different side of nursing
There are lots of different aspects to nursing, and different people are suited to different roles. To find the role that best suits you though, you’ve got to expose yourself to different things and this is something you can do with an MSN.
One aspect of nursing that tends not to get so much attention is the administrative and leadership role, but these positions are vitally important. Healthcare changes at a rapid pace, and institutions need highly educated nurses to help guide them through these times. MSNs can help prepare nurses to guide the industry through change while ensuring patient welfare remains at the heart of discussions.
Where your nursing career takes you is up to you, but in most cases you’re going to have to go from RN to MSN to maximize your opportunities.
Form valuable relationships
The relationships you form throughout your career are very important. Not only do they allow you to meet likeminded individuals who understand the life you lead, but they can also help open up new career opportunities.
Knowing the right people is important in life, and when you study for an MSN, you’re going to meet lots of people who will have success in the nursing industry. Whether you study on campus or online, you will form bonds with your fellow students, and you never know where these can take you.
This is one of the most important aspects of university, and often it gets overlooked. While you will make connections in your regular work, going from RN to MSN can introduce you to a host of new people, and these connections can have a big impact on your career.
Benefit from modern convenience
You have so many options when it comes to converting your RN to MSN. With modern technology, it’s perfectly possible to study online and this brings great flexibility.
Modern-day students have the ability to set their own schedules in a way that’s not been possible in the past. This means students can continue to work to fund their studies, making the courses much more accessible for a lot of students.
In the past, it was often seen as a choice, either you work, or you further your education and there wasn’t much crossover, but that couldn’t be further from the truth now. Working and studying are intrinsically linked, particularly in a field like nursing, and now it’s much easier to switch between the two.
If you’ve thought about studying an MSN but feel like you don’t have the time or money, then it’s worth looking at your options, because there are so many different courses out there and it’s likely you’ll find one that fits your needs.
Not one size fits all
One thing that attracts people to nursing is that it can be a very varied career. There are lots of different specializations you can have and career paths you can take.
Nursing education reflects this by allowing students to choose their own path. There is no one size fits all mentality. Instead, students are seen as individuals on their own paths, and they are able to help shape this journey.
Studying for an MSN is going to allow you to experience new sides of nursing and find the specialization that fits with your character.
Nursing is a profession for all kinds of people, and it is very much shaped by the diversity of those people. There’s no one size fits all in nursing, and there’s no one size that fits all in nursing education. You’re in charge of your career path, and your education is there to help you achieve your goals.
More affordable than you might think
Education is an investment, but it’s not one everybody is in the position to make. However, with the advent of online courses, and the greater choice this brings, there are a lot of affordable ways to go from RN to MSN.
Online courses can often represent slightly better value for money just because they cost the universities less to run. They don’t have the expenses of looking after campus buildings and other things, so they can pass these savings on to you.
This can make a big difference for students and help more people achieve their goals of studying for an MSN. There’s also plenty of financial help out there, and many universities will have dedicated staff who can talk you through your finance options.
There’s always going to be some financial risk in this decision, but you do have lots of options, and the benefits of coming out with an MSN are clear to see.
Future-proof your career
Nursing trends change quickly and when you’re on the front line, it’s important you’re keeping up with what’s going on. An MSN is designed to give you the skills to help shape the future of nursing so that you’re at the center of what happens, rather than reacting from the outside.
We’re always striving to improve the healthcare system, and while a lot of this change comes from within the healthcare system, a lot also comes from the classroom too.
While we can’t predict exactly how nursing will change in the future, an MSN gives you the skills to adjust to new situations and thrive in any environment, helping to make your career more future proof.
Nurses are always likely to be in demand, but the nature of their jobs does change, so it’s always a good thing to be ahead of the curve and arm yourself with the skills you need in the future.
Practical experience
It’s easy to think that further education is all about the theoretical side of nursing, but this is not the case. Educational institutions recognize that ultimately, you’re going to be working on hospital floors, and in other healthcare environments, where you need practical skills.
Universities are there to give you those practical learning experiences as well, not just equip you with the theoretical knowledge. MSN programs have been perfected over time to make sure you get the right balance of practical and theoretical learning that’s going to make a difference in your career.
The right university will ensure you’re getting the hands-on experience you need while also making sure you get the best possible placements after you graduate to put your newly honed skills to good use.
Self-improvement is forever
Nobody can ever take knowledge away from you. A small detail you pick up while studying for your MSN might help you make a difference for patients every day you work for the rest of your career.
Knowledge is such a valuable thing to have and when you go from RN to MSN that’s what you’re investing in – expanding your knowledge. As a nurse, you have so many opportunities to put this knowledge into practice and make a difference to people’s lives, and that’s what this career is all about.
We’re constantly learning and improving throughout our lives, but sometimes we’ve got to push that learning as far as it can go and one of the best ways to do this is by taking your education to the next level.
Nursing is a career that offers endless learning opportunities so embrace them as much as possible.
Takeaways
There are lots of reasons why it’s a great idea to go from RN to MSN and now is as good a time as any.
The key thing about toady’s MSN is that you’ve got flexibility. There are lots of different courses, which means you can find the one that best fits your life. With top-quality online degrees, you can still get the high standard of education you need but you’ve also got the ability to shape your own schedule, and even work around your studies.
If you’re looking to take the next step in your nursing career, then an MSN could be the thing that helps you get to where you want to go.